US Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed concern Thursday over Iran’s aerial drone program, saying the weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists.

A d v e r t i s e m e n t

{openx:49}

“Countries like Iran are developing their own UAVs and already have a UAV capability,” Gates told the Senate Appropriations Committee, using the acronym the military uses for drones — Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

“That is a concern, because it is one of these areas where — if they chose to, in Iraq, in Afghanistan — they could create difficulties for us.”

Drones however “are relatively slow flyers and we have a very capable Air Force. So I actually think that our ability to protect our troops from these things, particularly in a combat theater like this is quite good.”